Looks ok, but I thought the price would be from euros 15995...

I like those volvo-ish rear lights...

www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Nh8rJFifsU

Edited by _ORB_ on 03/09/2021 at 20:25

I wish Toyota, Mazda or Honda would introduce a budget brand using previous gen tech. I’d love a less complex car offering Japanese quality for less money. VAG and Renault have shown the potential for budget brands, though Skoda has now been lifted too high in my opinion, it’s stealing more sales from VW than anyone else.

It's far from straightforward to use previous generation technology given the ever-changing emission and safety regulations. Suzuki seems to operate as Toyota's budget brand in some respects - Mazda and Honda are probably too small to support a budget brand, Honda still need to make Acura the success they hoped for.

I wonder if Toyota could reintroduce Daihatsu to the UK/EU as a budget brand?. They were always known as being reliable (if not particularly cheap), but having been gone from the UK market for more than 10 years now, maybe they could bring the name back as Toyota's Dacia.

Shame too that Renault have both the Dacia and Lada names. If Lada had been owned by another group, they could have been another Dacia rival.

But you are absolutely right about Skoda, not really sure what the logic is with VAG pushing the brand up into a VW rival?. Reading an article about the new electric Skoda, the Enyaq, and basically the opinion was that its a better car than the VW ID.4. Priced about the same though.

Could say the same about Hyundai/Kia too I suppose. Having the two brands directly competing with each other, to me, only makes sense if the companies have different owners. Otherwise, why not have one of them priced to take sales from Dacia?.

Not sure what the real future is for budget brands using old tech. The pace of legislative change means old tech becomes useless quite quickly.

The savings have to be made elsewhere and in truth most cars cost a similar amount to make.

All budget cars will have to be electric just like everything else soon enough so I suppose the savings will have to come from something other than drivetrain.

Do budget brands always look for savings or do more lucrative brands simply over charge customers? Or a mix of both? Engineering quality is key, not perceived quality from looks and touch.

A budget band like Dacia use the underpinnings that Renault have already created which saves them development time as well as using all the same mechanicals so the cars cost a lot less to develop. And interior materials will be cheaper and less luxurious.

I do expect that more lucrative brands so get away with charging a lot more for things though.

Renault provide engines for Dacia and Mercedes. I have read that the Mercedes A class and Dacia Duster have at least one engine in common. Assuming that’s true it’s another reason I am sceptical about “premium” brands.